Automatic refrigerator



lSheets Sheet 1. W. E. BASTMAN AUTOMATIC 'REFRGERATOR (N o Model.)

nted Feb rlllll lll/1111111 (No Model.) li.,SI1@ets-Sheet 2. W. E. EASTMAN.

AUTOMATIC REFRGERATOR.

No. 469,296. Patented Feb.. 23, 1992,

(No Model.)

Lam/waa W. E. EASTMAN. AUTOMATIC REFRIGERATUR.

Patented Feb. 23, 1

4 Sheets-Sheet 3^.

Q [IU 4 Sheets-Sheet 4. W. E. EASTMAN AUTOMATIC REFRGERATOR.

(No Model.)

Patented Peb..

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM E. EASTMAN, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

AUTOMATIC REFRIGERATOR.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 469,296, dated February 23, 1892.

Application filed October 23, 1890. Serial No. 369.097. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

15e it known that I, WILLIAu E. EASTMAN, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massach usetts, have invented an Automatic Refrigerator, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section taken near the center ot' a refrigerator-ear constructed in accordance with my present invention. Fig. 2 is a horizontal longitudinal section on the line .1: at of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section showing an ice-receptacle at one end of the car, looking in the direction of the arrows 15, Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse section throughthe air-space between an ice-receptacle and the freight-conipartment, looking in the direction of the arrows 1G, Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 5 represents a portion of the outside of the car and showing a thermometer located on the inside of the car and seen through a window, and also showing a dial and its index or pointer connected with the shaft of the air-valves and by which the degree of temperature inside is known. Fig. G is a horizontal longitudinal section taken a little below the top of the inside of the car inverted and having attached to its ceiling an automatie-valve-operating mechanism and an interposed index mechanism for controlling the degree of temperature an'd excess of expansion of the automatic valve-operating device, said automatic and controlling mechanism forming the subjectmatter ot' another application soon to be tiled by me. Figs. 7, 8, f), 10,11, 12, and 13 are details of the regulating mechanism,to be fully referred to hereinafter.

To preserve fruit, vegetables, fish, fowl, meat, dac., in a sweet, fresh, and marketable condition, it is necessary to ascertain by observation and experiment what is the particular degree of temperature of the surrounding air required for the proper preservation of each, respectively, and then to maintain such temperature without variation.

The object of this invention is to produce a refrigerator so constructed. that any desired predetermined degree of temperature may be maintained therein for a considerable period of time by automatic means-for instance, in

acarfor conveying fruit a long distance; and my present invention consists in a refrigerator having peculiarities of construction and certain thermostatic features applied thereto, to be hereinafter described and claimed.

- In the said drawings, A represents my improved ice-refrigerating car for the transportation of fruit, tbc., having insulated sides, top, and floor, an ice-compartment being formed at each end havingathick insulated partition a interposed between it and the freight-compartment b, whereby moisture is prevented from depositing thereon, and but slight radiation of heat is experienced. These partitions (t do not extend up to the ceiling of the car, thereby leaving a transverse opening, which is divided into two air-passages c at each end of the f reight-com partment b, each pair of said aii`passagesbeingeontrolled byapairof valves C, which are free to swing on a common anticorrosive shaft 14, the ends and middle portions of which rest within anti-corrosive bearings secured to the opposite sides of the car and to the insulated partit-ion, these valves being operated automatically so as to open and close the air-passages c by mechanism connected with expansion and contraction dc- Vices (to control the air-currents and temper- `ature inside the freight-compartment) to be but generally described hereinafter in the presentapplication, as they will form the sub ject-matter of another application to be filed by me.

In the top of each end of the car are preferably located two openings leading to each ice-compartment, said openings being closed by tightlyfitting insulated trap-doors Y.

Within each compartment B is located an ice rack or receptacle D, formed of galvanizediron slats at its sides and witha bottom d, of wood,'having its under side varnished with shellac to prevent condensation and dripping of water into cold-air passages e thereunder, the upper side rl of the Wooden bottom (l beingV covered with galvanized iron to prevent leakage and corrosion. (See Fig. 13.)

There are two cold-air passages or fines E, extending longitudinally under the insulated door ofthe freight-compartment, leading from the air-passages e under each ice-compartment to a register placed in au opening E, cut in the insulated floor-i. c., four passages or IOO iues E in all, two on each side of the middle sill or sills of the car-bottom.

Each ice-rack has an air-space 42 (two and one-half inches wide) surrounding its four sides, which, together with its open top, affords access for the air to come into contact with the ice and become rapidly cooled, after which, owing to its specific gravity, it descends around outside of apron G, smaller in area than the bottom of the ice-rack to which it is secured, said box G extending down nearly to the floor of th-e ice-compartment in order to insure the descent of the cold air to or nearly thereto before it can enter the coldair conductors I, which are smaller than and located centrally within the bottomless box G.

Each cold-air conductor I is of galvanized iron and of greater area than the passage e in the iioor, Fig. 2, leading to the air passage or Hue E thereunder, the edge of the open bottom of each conductor surrounding the passage e, while the upper edge of said conductor I is turned down so as to form an outwardly-flaring lip f, which prevents the Water from the melted ice from swashing over and iiowing into the cold-air tlues E under the floor.

Running transversely across the center of the bottom of each ice-compartmentis a partition l2,aud leading from the bottom at each side of the partition is awaste or drip pipe 'u f, which conveys the water from the melted ice out of the car. (See Figs. 1 and 3.) The cold air being of greater weight collects upon the oor of each ice-compartment, and is then driven by the air-currents under the edge of the apron G and up between it and the coldair conductor I and over the lipf of the latter, down therein and into the passage e and cold-air passage or ueE under the insulated Hoor, and up through the opening F into the freight-compartment, (see direction of arrows, Figs. 1, 3, and 13,) this being simply a precaution for preventing the air from taking moisture into the freight-compartment.

I will now briefly describe (in general terms) an automatic expansion and contraction mechanism of my invention, by which the airvalves C are operated l to open and close the airpassages c above the partitions a. (See Figs. l, 3, 6, and l1.)

K is a brass tube hung loosely within clips' g g, secured to the ceiling, one end screwing into a plate h, also secured to the ceiling, the other end of the tube having a short tubulaiextension 21.',by which construction the brass tube is free to expand or lengthen in the direction of the arrow 26, Figs. 6 and 9,and contract or shorten in an opposite direction when.

lo is a lever pivoted at 21 to the plate h and to a pin 19, which slides in the stationary end of the tube K, Fig. 9.

` m is a rod connecting the outer end of the lever k with an adjustable mechanism m for maintaining a uniform temperature and controlling the excess of motion of the unequal expansion pair, said mechanism consisting of a dial M, an index or pointer N, a hand-wheel P, and a cylindrical block n, having an opening at each end, Figs. 7 and 8, and provided with a screw-thread, into which is turned the threaded end of a rod o, the opposite end of this rod being secured by a bifurcated device p to a pair of disks 29, attached to t-he center creased to bring it'to a predetermined degree desired, and by controlling the movement of the unequal expansion pair, resulting from an excess of expansion by an increase of temperatureabove the predetermined degree or an excess of contraction by a reduction of temperature below the predetermined degree,

'(which may be readily accomplished by turning the hand-wheel and setting the index opposite the dial-figures expressing the degree desired to be maintained in the freight-compartment,) the effective length of the valverod maybe nicely regulated, so that when the maximum forward and back movements of the rods are effected to open and close the air- ,passages c' the further expansion and contraction of the unequal pair will not continue to exert any further pressure or tension on the rods, (as the case may be,) but will be directed in an opposite direction to compress certain springs.) 23, (seen in Fig. 9 and broken away,

Fig. 6,) connected with the automatic expansion-contraction mechanism, thus avoiding any unnecessary strain on or breakage of the parts or their connections.

A detailed description of the construction and. operation of my automatic valve-actuating mechanism and its index-controlling device will be found in another application soon to be filed therefor; but the description contained herein is sufiicient forthe present purposes, and from it will be understood that the air-valves C will close the air-passages c at a degree of' temperature indicated bythe point-er N on the dial M, and thus prevent further decrease of temperature. If the temperature inside the freight-colnpartment should risc from lack of ice or for want of suicient air circulation, the valves C will open and increase the circulating currents until the temperature therein has again fallen to the desired predetermined temperature indicated by the pointer, after which the air-valves will again close the air-passages c. Suppose the IOC IIO

air-valves are adjusted to close the air-passages c when the temperature in the freightcompartment is at 50 above. They will again open if the temperature rises above 50 and allow the admission of an increase of circulating currents into the freight-compartment until its temperature has again fallen to 50, simultaneous with which the air-pas-sages c will again be closed.

Q are perforated plates or sheets of wirenetting secured to the ceiling and partitions in such a way as to preventthe possibility of tampering with the valves C.

R is a dial on the outside of the car, Fig. 5, and r its index or pointer secured directly to the end of the valve shaft 14, projecting through the end of the car, the object of this outside dial being to enable the air-valves C to be manipulated from the outside in the event of the automatic mechanism being out of order or disconnected from the air-valves, and the temperature inside the freight-compartment may in this way be regulated to a limited extent.

By having the air-(lues E under the Hoor, together with the ice-compartment at each end of the car and the air-passages c, closed` automatically and promptly by the valves C, I am readily enabled to obtain and preserve a high degree of temperature in the freightcompartment when so desired, which I helieve has not been etfectedl in the previous history of the art for the reason that the aircurrents were always in full force, because no suitable means were provided for their regulation to and from the ice. Consequently it will be seen that when by my construction I can diminish the air circulation wherea high temperature is to be maintained the supply of ice is more slowly consumed, the result of which is to etect a saving of ice proportionate to the degree of temperature maintained inside the freight-compartlnent, amounting, perhaps, to a saving of from fifty to six-ty per cent. of the ice when a temperature of sixty degrees is maintained inside with an outside temperature of eighty or ninety degrees. The gases generated by the contents of the freightcompartment will be carried through the airpassages c into t-he ice-chambers and be there mixed with and carried away with the moisture as it condenses. Should any iceremain in the ice-compartment after the arrival of the car at the end of the route, it will be preserved foracousiderable length of time, owing to the perfect insulation of the door, walls, andpartitions and the capacity of preventing any circulation of air by closing the airpassages c.

Another advantage derived from my per feet insulation and arresting the air circulation is that I am enabled to supply ice to my car before the freight-compartment receives its' contents, as the temperature inside the freight-compartment will not be reduced to such an extent as to be objectionable to the packers. whereas with cars of the old construction it has been customary, first, to stow the freight and supply the ice thereafter, because the low temperature which would be produced in the freight-compartment it the ice were first received would be detrimental to the health ot' the packers of the freight. By conducting the cold-air currents to the freight-compartment by fines under the floor and the perfect insulation which I obtain the diterence of temperature between the air at the top and that at the bottom of the freightcompartment will usually be scarcely perceptible and will not exceed from one to two degrees, whereas with refrigerator-cars of former 'construction it is common to indva difference of from seven to twelve degrees between said points.

One of the valuable features of my present invention is theinsulated partition 0, and the 4air-space above it, without which a high temperature in the freight-compartment could not be preserved when the ice-compartments were full of ice.

consisting of abrass tube and a cast-iron. rod, as herein described, I may employ othercombinations of metal or liquid-such as copper, zinc, mercury, oil, alcohol, &c.-or both metal and liquid,by the unequal expansion of which the valves may be operated.

During the winter months, in a warm climate, such as is experienced in the southern United States, when my car is iced andloaded with perishable freight, the ice in melting will create a circulation of' air inside the car and the moisture therein (while the air is in contact with the ice) will be condensed, and after having been eliminated from the air the capacity of the latter to conduct heat from the contents of the freight-compartment will be much reduced, whereby the temperature inside the freight-compartment will be maintained above the freezing-point for a much longer period of time as the car advances where the temperature outside -is gradually \Vhen the temperature outside of the car is not higher than 32 above zero, the ice will be prevented from melting, under which conditions the air-passages will be closed by the air-valves and the ice will not have any perceptible effect on the radiation-ot heat from the freight-compartment and its contents, while at the same time the insulated partitions will furnish double insulation and protection atthe ends of the car, and as the circulation of the air will be stoppedit is obvius that the ends of the car willbe better protected against frost than the sides, whereas in ordinary refrigerator-cars all perishable freight that comes in contact with the ice at the ends of the cartwhen it is not melted because of a low temperature outside) would be frozen.

When a car is only intended for transporting and preserving corn-fed dressed beef, as said beef requires a given amount of moisture Instead of an expansion-contraction device lowering-as, for instance, in coming north. 

